Foraging
Foraging is researching, sourcing and preparing resources from the wild for food and/or medicinal uses. The first and most important aspect of foraging is research and this can’t be stressed enough. Foraging is fun and great for your health – unless you happen to forage something that is deadly poisonous! Some of the plants happily growing in our gardens and readily available to buy in garden nurseries would quite literally kill you within hours of ingestion. Similarly some species of fungus/mushroom can best make you sick and at worst kill you within hours.
So why forage?
It’s fun
Foraging is one of life’s simple pleasures that can bring so much joy into our lives. It’s fun! Learning new things, getting outside and following the seasons is all fun and you will delight in the newfound knowledge you have the exciting discoveries you make.
It is good for our health
Getting some shoes on, grabbing your equipment and getting outside into nature is great if you can. Not only will you be getting some fresh air, but you have a purpose to get out there. As you search around for your latest forage you are moving your body, taking deeper breaths and allowing nature to work its special magic of calming and grounding us. If you can’t get outside for whatever reason – there are (believe it or not) still benefits you but in different ways. Keeping your brain active but calm, especially as you age has many mental and physical health benefits.
It’s rewarding
Once you see that basket of yours filled with edible or useful treats that you have cleverly identified and collected yourself you will have the foraging bug! It’s incredibly rewarding to bring home delicious finds and try new flavours and produce that is absolutely fresh from nature. You will discover new recipes and learn new skills. In the virtual world as well, you’ll earn Herb & Fable badges and learn more about the plants and resources you’re finding. You’ll also be able to trade your finds with fellow Herb & Fable Symbians and maybe earn some Fleurins!